IEM Cologne 2026 to Hold Stage 3 Without BO1 Matches

For the first time in Counter-Strike history, the Cologne tournament will partially abandon the BO1 format. The organizers of IEM Cologne 2026 have announced that all Stage 3 matches will be played in a best-of-three format.

The tournament itself will run from June 2 to June 21, 2026, while Stage 3 is scheduled for June 11–15. At this stage, there will be no BO1 matches for the first time in the history of the Cologne event.

Previously, group stage matches that were not elimination or qualification matches were traditionally played as BO1s. The new format means that all teams in Stage 3 will compete in full best-of-three series, significantly reducing the impact of randomness and increasing the importance of consistency and tactical depth.

As a result, IEM Cologne 2026 will become the first tournament in Cologne where the decisive group stage is held entirely without BO1 matches — a change that could notably affect the dynamics of the playoff race.